Former Kentucky Wildcat DeMarcus Cousins named to USA Olympic basketball team

Jeff Drummond

06/27/2016

Former Kentucky All-American DeMarcus Cousins has been named to the 12-man roster that will represent the United States in the upcoming Rio Olympics.

Cousins will be appearing in the Olympics for the first time in his career coming off an All-Star season with the Sacramento Kings. The 6-foot-11 center averaged 26.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.61 steals and 1.43 blocks per game. He recorded 47 double-doubles.

The Alabama native was previously part of Team USA's 2014 FIBA World Cup gold medal squad, averaging 9.6 points and 5.6 rebounds for that team.

Former UK teammate John Wall was also under consideration for the team but withdrew due to recovery from off-season surgery.

Kentucky, which has produced 10 players who have won a gold medal in the Olympics, was last represented by Anthony Davis in the 2012 games.

The team will start training for the Olympics in Las Vegas and play exhibition games in Las Vegas, Oakland, Calif., Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston before leaving for Rio. They will train against the USA Men’s Select Team, which features former Wildcats Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein and Julius Randle.

The coaching staff features Mike Krzyzewski of Duke, Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, Tom Thibodeau of the Minnesota Timberwolves and former Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Monty Williams.

Since forming the national team program in 2006, the USA Basketball has a 75-1 record and is currently riding a 63-game win streak.

Team USA’s opening game in Rio will take place Aug. 6 against China. It is slated to tip at 6 p.m. ET.